Telecommunication or other types of computer networks provide for the transmission of information across some distance through terrestrial, wireless or satellite communication networks. Such communications may involve voice, data or multimedia information, among others. Typically, such networks include several servers or other resources from which the content or network services can be supplied to a requesting end user. To decrease latency, increase throughput, and reduce the amount of traffic being transmitted through a related network, a network will typically attempt to provide the content or communications from a network component that is separated by as little network infrastructure as possible from the requesting device. Thus, for example, a request received from an end user in Denver, Colo. for access to the network is preferably served from a server (such as one also located in Denver, Colo.) so that the path with the fewest number of network elements and shortest communication cable distance are utilized between the server and the end user.
However, many end users have access the network through several access networks and/or connection routes. Thus, there may be present several potential transmission paths between the network server providing content and the end user receiving the content. Further, because access networks may also connect to the providing network in several locations, the providing network may not always have enough information to provide the content to the end user along the shortest or “best” transmission path. As such, the route that utilizes the least number of network elements and shortest communication distance may not always be selected to provide the content to the end user device. Such circumstances may exact an unnecessary usage cost or performance impact for the network.